Saint-Gobain Acquires The Third Largest Danish Builders’ Merchant And Launches Exclusive Negotiations For The Purchase Of Estonia’s Leading Builders’ Merchant

With estimated sales of DKK1.82 billion (€245 million) in 2007, DLH’s building materials distribution division is the third largest builders’ merchant in Denmark.The network has 19 outlets and a logistics center and employs 550 people.



• With estimated sales of EEK1.9 billion in 2007 (€122 million), Famar Desi is Estonia’s leading builders’ merchant. Its network encompasses 16 outlets, including two in Latvia, thereby establishing Saint-Gobain’s Building Distribution Sector for the first time in that country. Famar Desi has 700 employees.



Following the 2004 acquisition of the DAHL group, Scandinavia’s leading plumbing and heating distributor, and the 2005 acquisition of the Optimera group, a builders’ merchant in Norway and Sweden, Saint-Gobain’s Building Distribution Sector continues its development strategy in the Nordic countries, building solid bases for expansion in Denmark and the Baltic countries.



With these acquisitions, full-year sales for the Building Distribution Sector in the Nordic countries are expected to reach €3.3 billion, an average annual increase of 24% since the acquisition of DAHL. The acquisitions should bring the Building Distribution Sector’s network to 78 outlets in Denmark and 19 in Estonia.



The acquisitions are subject to approval from the relevant competition authorities.



Saint-Gobain’s Building Distribution Sector generated sales of €17.6 billion in 2006. With more than 70,000 employees and 4,000 outlets in 24 countries, it is the leading European distributor of building materials and the world’s leading distributor of tiling products. Its main distribution brands are Point.P, Jewson, Raab Karcher, DAHL, Lapeyre la maison and the Platform chain.